Amman:A pre-dawn celestial event will brighten the skies over Jordan on Wednesday, October 28, as the moon aligns with the Pleiades star cluster. This conjunction holds significant cultural importance in Jordanian folklore, especially among Bedouin communities that have traditionally used such alignments to track seasons, rainfall, and grazing cycles.
According to Jordan News Agency, the President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Ammar Sakaji, mentioned that the moon will appear in its waning gibbous phase, with about 95 percent illumination. The angular distance between the moon and the Pleiades will be less than one degree, potentially causing the moonlight to obscure the cluster's fainter stars. The Pleiades, also known as Messier 45 or the Seven Sisters, are located approximately 435 light-years away in the constellation Taurus.
In addition, folklore and Bedouin historical researcher Fahad Akhu Rasheeda explained that Northern Bedouin tradition associates this conjunction with Qiran Sab'at 'Ashar (the 17th Conjunction) during Al-Sufri, a transitional period marking the end of summer and the onset of autumn rains. The term "Sufri" refers to the yellowing of wild grasses and is distinct from the Islamic month of Safar. Bedouins have linked seasonal changes to these lunar events, as reflected in local proverbs that correlate early rains with rich pasturelands and desert truffles.
Sakaji highlighted that although the event is traditionally associated with seasonal changes, it does not directly influence weather patterns. The Jordanian Astronomical Society intends to observe and document the alignment using telescopes and specialized cameras, providing a unique chance to blend ancient folklore with modern astronomical knowledge.